1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed to an improvement in a coin dispensing apparatus and more particularly to a coin ejection guiding mechanism of a compact configuration for efficiently directing coins that are dispensed at high speed from a coin supply hopper.
2. Description of Related Art
A large number of different coin dispensing apparatus have been proposed to address the requirements of vending machines, gaming machines, arcade machines, change dispensing machines, etc. When a significant number of coins, tokens, medallions, or other dispensed coin-like objects are ejected from a storage hopper within the dispensing apparatus, there has been a constant desire to increase the speed of dispensing of the coins in a safe and efficient manner. Referring for example to FIGS. 3 and 4, a prior art coin dispenser such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,122,094 is disclosed. A coin supply hopper 1 is mounted on a base plate 11 which is positioned at about 60xc2x0 to a horizontal surface by the supporting frame 10. A coin feeding rotary disc 2 is rotatably supported on the inclined base plate 11 within the coin supply hopper 1 through a central rotary shaft 12.
The coin feeding rotary disc 2 has a disc body 3 with a circumferential wall 4 to provide a pan like shape. The disc body 3 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced coin receiving through holes 5 which can, for example, hold five coins in each hole. The inner surface 4b of the wall 4 carries a plurality of coin agitating protrusions 6 at positions between the coin receiving holes. The coin agitating protrusions 6 are inwardly inclined from the top end 4a to the lower end of the circumferential wall 4. The coin supply hopper 1 has a cylindrical lower portion 22 which is fixed to the inclined base plate 11 around the coin feeding rotary disc 2 and is further provided with a coin outlet 23 open at the downstream side of a coin outlet guide portion 17 for an elliptical coin guide plate 15. A circular stage 14 has a thickness slightly larger than the thickness of a coin to be dispensed. The coin feeding rotary disc 2 is rotatably supported on the circular stage 14 whereby one coin will drop from a coin receiving through hole on the coin supporting surface of the base plate 11 between the coin feeding arms 13. The guiding elliptical plate 15 is positioned around the circular stage 14 and a large diameter end portion has a central hole 16. The large diameter end portion and the small diameter end portion have a pin 18 and a pin 19, respectively, projecting from the surface of the guide plate 15 on the side of the inclined base plate 11. The inclined base plate 11 is provided with a plurality of pin holes 20a, 20b . . . , 21a, 21b which are spaced apart to receive the pins 18 and 19, respectively. Thus, the elliptical coin guide plate 15 can be selectively set to change the position of the guide portion 17 in correspondence to a diameter of a coin to be treated between a small coin guide position defined by the pin holes 20a and 21a, respectively and a large coin guide position defined by the pin holes 20b and 21b, respectively.
At the upstream side of the coin outlet 23, a fixed guide roller 24 is rotatably supported on a roller shaft 25 fixed to the base plate 11 and at the downstream side of the coin outlet 23, a movable guide roller 26 is rotatably supported on a roller shaft 27 secured to a rockable actuator 28 of an outlet sensor. The outlet sensor actuator 28 is pivotally secured to a bracket 29 by a pivot pin 30 fixed to the base plate 11. The roller shaft 27 of the moveable guide roller 26 is extended through an arched groove 31 formed in the base plate 11. A coin counting sensor 32 is secured to the bracket 27 so that it is operated by the actuator 28 which is pushed against a spring force through the moveable guide roller 26 by a coin passing through coin outlet 23.
An occasional problem occurs in releasing coins into the oblique upper part of the structure shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 in that such equipment cannot be compactly designed to meet all the requirements in coin dispensing equipment where space must be conserved. In other words, when a coin dispensing hopper, such as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, is installed into a coin dispensing apparatus, sufficient space must be provided to accommodate the functional arrangement of its constituent parts.
Another example of prior art is found in the Japanese Laid Open Application No. 7-112054 which attempts to provide a coin directing mechanism that would prevent conflict between succeeding coins that are ejected.
The prior art is still seeking improvements in the ejection of coins from coin dispensing apparatus to meet the demands of compact designs for modern usage.
This invention provides a coin ejection guide assembly that can be mounted in a coin dispensing apparatus for the high speed dispensing of a coin from a plurality of stored coins, for example, in a storage hopper. A coin is removed from the storage hopper and individually directed along a passageway to a coin ejection or exit opening. The coin ejection guide assembly is mounted adjacent the exit opening of the coin dispensing apparatus and can include a movable member for contacting the exiting coin. A spring member can bias the movable member against passage of the coin with the movable member being a rotatable roller with a shaft journaled within an elongated camming opening. A relatively fixed contact member is positioned opposite the movable member and can be a rotatable roller that is positioned at a predetermined distance for insuring that the ejected coin is pushed against the movable member as it passes between the contact member and the movable member. A guide unit is located downstream of a movable member for contacting the ejected coin and changing its direction of movement from its initial contact against the movable member. Additionally, the spring energy that is stored when the movable member is pushed against the spring member can thereafter be applied as an injection force by further contact of the movable member with a rear edge of the coin so that it is propelled through the exit opening in the changed direction. The guide unit can further include a guide roller that is positioned at the end of a sloping guide rail to provide further control and direction to the ejected coin.